Machine for winding bobbins.



Patented Nov. l2,l90l.

' F. A. BRACKETT.

MACHINE FOR WINDING ROBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.)

6 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No-Model.)

J04 1019 J09 1Z2 WITNESSES: a I

THE NORRIS Paras cu. PHor-umo wAsmNcToN. a c.

Patented Nov. l2. I90l.

F. A. BRACKETT.

MACHINE FOR WINDING BOBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.)

a sheets-sheet 27 (No Model.)

fNl ENTOR [for WITNESSES: X6 /6% Tn: mums PETERS c0 l mmauflm, WASHINETON, n. c.

No; 686,580. Patented Nov. l2, I901.

' F. A. BRACKETT.

MACHINE FOR WINDING ROBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.-

(No Model.)

mu A I ,[NVENTOR WITNESSES- v No. 686,580. Patented Nov. I 2, IQOI.

F. A. BRACKETT.

MACHINE FOR WINDING BOBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.]

(No Model.

[/VVE/VTOR W! M 519555. W

K622641662 Zap/ZZZ %@W No. 686,580. Patented Nov. I2, I90I.

F. A. BRACKETT. MACHINE F OR WINDING BOBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.)

(N o NI 0 d e I.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 5.

. BEES $5555 W 1 TN'ESSES:

No. 686,580. Patented Nov. l2, l90l.

F. A. BBACKETT.

MACHINE FOR WINDING ROBBINS.

(Application filed Dec. 4, 1900.; (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 6.

W1 T/YESSES NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. 'BRAGKETT, OF BRIDGEWATER, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE WINDING BOBBINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters S e r No. 686,580, dated November 12, 1901.

I Application filed December 4, 1900. Serial No, 38,659. (No model.)

To all whom; it may concern:

Be it known/that I, FRANK A. BRAOKETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgewater, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Winding Bobbins, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention'seeks to provide a machine which will be entirely automatic in its operation and which will be composed of few parts.

With this object in view the invention consists in a novel combination and arrangement of devices by which the empty bobbins are fed to the point of winding, there rotated to wind the thread thereon, the wound bobbin discharged, and the thread severed.

The invention further consists in a novel raceway and operating devices whereby the empty bobbins are successively fediomthe \vindipgmeehanism. W

The invention further consists in a novel rotarybobbin clamp and winding mechanism.

The invention further consists in an arrangement of trip devices actuated by the wound bobbin whic released t q a eered and the s end oithe thread t be held in sition to start the winding of'andtlfenbouogn.

e invention further consists in a novelmechanism whereby when the bobbin is released from the winding mechanism it is caughtand momentarily held while the thread is severed.

The invention further consists in a novel mechanism which severs the thread after the bobbin has been wound and holds the end of the thread until an empty bobbin has been placed in the bobbin-clamp.

I Finally, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter first fully described and then particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, which illustrate the preferred form of the invention, Figure 1 is a plan view with the several parts in the position they assume while a bobbin is being wound. Fig. 2 is a similar view withthe wound bobbin released from the winding mechanism. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a transverse section 'nal line of the basket.

of the same. Fig. 5 is a detail view showin'gthe raceway in elevation and the end of the drum or hopper in section. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation of the end of the 'drum. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail plan views of the thread cutting and holding mechanism. Fig.

9 is an enlarged detail view of the thread.

cutting and holding mechanism, partly in elevation and partly in section, the section being taken about on the medial longitudi- Fig. 10 is a detail perspective view of the trip-latch and its connections. Fig. 11 is a detail longitudinal section of the slidable member of the bobbinclamp. Fig. 12' is a detail perspective view of the non-slidable bobbin-clamp member, and Figs. 13, 14, and 15 are detail views of the trip and dog by which the cam-shaft is thrown in and out of operation.

.Referring to the drawings for a specific knowledge of the details of the invention, 1 designates a base-plate, which may be supported on any suitable framing and on which the operating mechanism is mounted. This base-plate is provided with an opening 2 near its front edge, through which the wound bobbins are discharged, as will be fully set forth hereinafter.

Upon the base-plate, near and parallel with the front edge of the same, I erect a series of standards 3 4 5 6 7, the standard 7 having a buffer or cushion 8 in its upper end'and the upper ends of the other standards being formed into bearings in which the bobbinholding devices and the main driving-shaft are mounted. The driving-shaft 9 is journaled in the upper ends of the standards 3 4 and is provided 'at its outer'end with a driving-wheel 10, through which motion is imparted to the shaft from any conve'nientmotor. The driving-shaft projects inward to about the central transverse plane of the machine, and one jaw of the bobbin-clamp is formed on or secured rigidly to the inner end thereof. Between the standards 3 4'-the driving-shaft is provided with worms 11 12, which mesh with and transmit motion to the gears 13 14, arranged above them. The gear 13 is mounted on the end of a stub-shaft 15, secured in a block 16, rising from the baseplate in rear of the standards 3 4, while the gear 14 is secured on the front end of ashaft 17, journaled in and extending through the said block. On the rear end of the shaft 17 is securedabevel-pinion18,1neshingwithabevel gear-wheel 19, secured on a counter-shaft 20, which is journaled in the upper ends of standards 21 22, erected on the base-plate in rear of the block 16. Near its inner end this counter-shaft carries a pinion 23, and on its outer end is secured a pulley 24, over which passes a belt 25, connecting it with a pulley 26 on the outer end of a shaft 27, mounted in the upper end of a post or column 28, which rises from the rear corner of the baseplate to a point some distance above the same. At its inner end the shaft 27 carries a pinion 29, which meshes with a circular cog-rack 30 on the front end of a hopper or drum 31 to rotate the same. This .hopper or drum is supported at an elevation in an inclined position by any convenient means and has a central opening in each end. The opening 32 in the upper end I designate the feedopening, as through it the empty bobbins are placed in the drum, while the opening 33 in the lower end I term the discharge-open-- ing, as the bobbins pass through it from the drum in the operation of the machine. On the outer faces of both ends of the drum I provide bearing rings 34, which serve as journals on which the drum rotates in its supports. On the inner side of the drum, at the lower or discharge end thereof, I provide a series of take-up arms 35, which consist of shelf-like plates projecting tangentially from the side of the drum. These arms in the rotation of the drum take up the empty bobbins and carry them upward until they reach a point above the end of the raceway, when they will drop off the arms onto the raceway. In order that the bobbins may properly enter the raceway, it is necessary for them to lie fiat upon the take-up arms or shelves, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. While the bobbins naturally tend to assume that position, it is found that they sometimes clog slightly in the space between the shelves, and in order to overcome this tendency I have provided deflectors 36, depending from the edges of some of the shelves. As the bobbins fall into the spaces between the shelves or take-up arms they will strike these deflectors and will be partially turned, so that they will lie flat on the shelves below the deflectors, the excess bobbins dropping to the bottoin of the hopper to be taken up by the succeeding shelves.

The raceway 37 is supported in an inclined position by two legs 38 39, rising from the base-plate, the rear leg 38 being utilized as a support for the collar, in which the front end of the hopper or drum has its hearing. The raceway is formed in two sections, the upper section being stationary and having its upper end projecting into the hopper. The lower section is adapted to be reciprocated and rests on an inclined plate 40, secured to and extending between the upper ends of the legs mechanism.

38 39. Both sections of the raceway are composed of parallel rails 41, arranged in the same vertical plane and connected by spacin g-rin gs or curved braces 42, as clearly shown, the space between the rails forming a race down which the empty bobbins pass to the winding The upper rail of the upper section is shorter than the lower rail thereof and has its upper end beveled, as shown at 43, while the lower rail of said section has its upper end upturned and beveled, as shown at 44, the opening between the beveled faces 43 44 constituting the mouth or entrance of the raceway and being in the same plane as the take-up arms 35, so as to catch the bobbins dropping from said arms. To the upper edge of the lower end of the lower rail of the stationary section I secure a leaf-spring 45,which extends over and rests upon the upper edge of the lower rail of the sliding section. This spring bridges over the space between the two rail-sections when the sliding section is lowered, and thereby prevents the bobbins dropping down between the sections. The upper rail of the stationary section is provided on its upper edge near its lower end with a leafspring 46, which projects beyond the lower end of the said rail-section and has a beveled lug 47 on its under side adapted to be struck by the upper end of the upper rail of the sliding section. Above this beveled lug a pin 48 depends from the spring through an opening in the upper rail-section and is adapted when the sections are separated to project into the path of the bobbins to arrest the forward downward movement of the same. The lower rail of the sliding section of the raceway is provided with depending guide pins or lugs 49, which play in longitudinal slots 50 in the inclined plate 40. Fulcrumed at its lower end on the side of the leg 39 is a lever 51, the upper end of which is connected by a link 52 with a pin orlug 53 on the side of the sliding raceway-section. At an intermediate point of its length the lever is provided with a roller 54 on its side, which bears against a cam 55 on a cam-shaft 56, which will be presently more particularly mentioned. A spiral spring 57 is secured at one end to the sliding section of the raceway and at its lower end to a bracket or block 58, secured on the upper end of the standard 4. This spring serves to hold the lever 51 in engagement with the cam 55 and to lower the raceway-section in the operation of the machine, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth. To the lower end of the raceway I secure a spring 59, which projects below the raceway and has its end turned up to form a finger 60, adapted to support the lowermost bobbin until it is engaged and held by the bobbin-clamp.

On the inner end of the driving-shaft I socure or form one member 61 of the bobbin holder or clamp, the said member consisting of a head or disk having a concave face 62 and preferably having a recess 63 in the center of said face. Mounted in the upper ends ber 61.

ofthe standards 5 6 and in alinement with the driving-shaft is a'rod 64, adapted to slide in its bearings in said standards and carrying on its inner end the opposing member of the bobbin-clamp. The face of the clamp member 65 is concave, and a pin 66 projects axially from said face toward the clamp mem- The rod 64 should not rotate in its bearings, and in order to prevent such rotation I form a longitudinal slot 67in the rod, through which passes a pin 68, fitted in the upper end of the standard 6. The clamp member is swiveled on the pin 66, so that it may turn freely in the operation of the device to rotate the bobbin. In order that the clamp may-accommodate bobbins of different thicknesses, the pin or pintle 66 is fitted in a recess 70 in the end of the rod 64 and is pressed normally toward the end of the rod by a spring 71, seated in the said recess. A cross-head 72 is clamped on the rod 64 between the standards 5 and 6, and a spring 73 is coiled around said rod between the cross head and the standard 5 to throw said rod outward, and thereby release the wound bobbin when certain trip devices, presently described, are actuated. Secured to the upper end of the standard 5 is a block 74 similar to the block 58, an'd slidably mounted in the said blocks 58 74 is a thread-guide 0r evener-bar 75, having one end pivoted to a pitman 76, which has its free end connected to the gear-wheel 13. As this gear-wheel rotates the evenerbar will be reciprocated, and consequently the thread passing through an eye 77 therein will be caused to travel back and forth from side to side of the bobbin and be wound evenly thereon. In order that the throw of the evener-bar may be varied to correspond with the thickness of the bobbins being wound, I pivot the outer end of the pitman 76 to a plate 78, having one'end pivotally secured to the outer face of the gear-wheel 13, near the edge of the same, and its opposite end adjustably secured to the wheel by means of a set-screw'7 9 passing through a curved slot in the plate. It will be readily understood that by securing the plate in different positions on the gear-wheel the outer end of the pitman will be moved from or toward the center of the wheel, and therefore the movement of the same will be increased or diminished. On the front sides of the blocks 58 74 are guide pins or studs 81, on which is mounted a slide 82, having longitudinal slots 83, through which the said pins or studs project, and provided on its rear side at the center of its lower edge with a thread guide or keeper 84, in the form of a horizontal plate having a longitudinal slot through which the thread passesto the bobbin. The end of this slide is connected with the cross-head 72 by a connecting-bar 85, having its ends pivoted to the cross-head and the slide.

Pivoted to the lower end of the cross-head is a link 86, extending slightly downward and forward therefrom toward the central transverse plane of the machine and having its outer end pivoted to the front shorter end of the upper blade 87 of a thread cutter or shears. This blade ismounted on a fulcrumpost 88, erected on the base-plate in front of and near one end of the discharge-opening 2 therein. A spring 89 is secured to the extremity of the blade and to the base-plate and tends to hold the shears normally open. The lower blade 90 of the shears is mounted on the same fulcru m-post as the upper blade, and a link 91, pivoted to its inner end, extends between the same and the link 86, the outer end of the link 91 being pivoted to said link 86 near the cross-head, but between the same and the front end of the said link. On its outer or back edge the lower blade is provided with an eye or keeper 92, in which is engaged a lug or arm 93 on the hinged bottom 94 of a basket 95, secured in the discharge -opening in the base plate. This hinged bottom is controlled by a spring 96, secured to the base-plate and to the said bottom, so as to normally press the bottom up into its closed position. Mounted on the fulcrum-post 88 above the upper blade of the cutter is a lever or swinging clamping-plate 97, which is adapted to pass under a clamping-rod 98, and thereby hold the thread, and is constructed with a finger 97 near its pivotal point. This finger always projects in under the rod 98, and thereby prevents the said rod from dropping below the plane of the clamping-plate, and consequentlyobstructing the proper and speedy operation of the devices. The rod 98 is secured to and held by the ends of spring-arms 99, rising from brackets 100 on the base-plate, which springarms press the rod downward toward the plate 97, as will be readily, understood. Secured to and extending between the ends of the said brackets 100 is a rod 101, which coacts with the clamping plate to hold the thread and cause it pass between the blades of the cutter in a nearly vertical position. To the front or outer end of the clamping plate or lever Ipivot one end of a short link or connecting-bar 102, which has its other end pivoted on the link 86, this arrangement imparting to the clamping-plate a more rapid movement than that given to the cutter and causing the plate to swing through a greater are than the upper blade, so that the thread will be caught and held before the blade strikes it. Above the shears and clampingplate and immediately beneath the bobbinclamp I arrange a guiding ring or rim 103, the wall of which converges downwardly-so as to guide the wound bobbin into the basket after it is released from the'bobbin-clamp. The guiding ring or rim is of course provided with suitable notches to accommodate the thread passing upward from the thread-clamp and to permit the thread-follower (to be debratory push-bar 104, which is'pivoted at its front end in a socket on the front edge of the base-plate. This push-bar passes over and to the rear of the cam-shaft, and it is prevented from jumping up out of the path of the sliding rod 64 by a keeper-bar 106, secured to and extending between the upper ends of the standards 6 7 and passing over the push -bar, as clearly shown. The rear portion of the push-bar passes under and is normally held by a latch 107, and its rear end is pivoted to a collar 108, slidably mounted on apitman or connecting-rod 109. This pitman has one end pivoted to the upper end of the vertical arm of an angle-lever 110, fulcrumed on a suitable bracket or support rising from the base-plate in rear of the countershaft, and the free end of the pitman is provided with an enlargement orstop 111,through which it is actuated by reason of the pushbar carrying the collar 108 against said stop, so that the continued movement of the pushbar will transmit motion to the pitman. In order that the reverse movement of the pushbar may positively return the pitman to its initial position, I provide 011 the pitman a stop or collar 112, against which the collar 108 impinges on the return stroke of the pushbar. In order that the push-bar may not be thrown against the rear edge of the operating-cam, I give the said bar an ogee form, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that its rear end is carried toward the center of the machine and given ample play, as will be readily understood. The horizontal arm of the angle-lever 110 extends over and rests upon the rearwardly-projecting branch of a trip 113, arranged transversely of the machine between the said angle-lever and the cam-shaft, and it is limited in its upward movement by a keeper or stop 114, rising from the baseplate. The trip 113 is pivoted at its angle to a suitable bracket on the base-plate, and its vertical portion 115 forms a finger, lying close against the side of a gear-wheel 116, mounted loosely on the cam-shaft and meshing with the pinion 23 on the counter-shaft. An annular series of ratchet-teeth 117 is formed on the side of the gear-wheel 116, and the end of the finger 115 is curved forward over said ratchet-teeth, so as to lie substantially concentric therewith in its normal position. The outer side of the finger is inclined or tapered, as indicated at 118, so as to avoid the presentation of an abrupt shoulder to the dog in the operation of the machine and provide an inclined surface up which the dog will readily ride to be disengaged from the ratchet-teeth, and just beyond the plane of the ratchetteeth 117 the finger is provided with a notch 118. A spring 119, secured to the supporting-bracket and to the horizontal arm of the trip, serves to hold said arin normally raised and the vertical arm thrown forward to the ratchet-teeth 117. Pivotally secured on the cam-shaft, adjacent to the gear-wheel 116, is a dog or pawl 120, which is pressed toward the gear-wheel by a spring 121, having its ends bearing against the dog and the camshaft, as clearly shown. WVhile the bobbin is being wound the end of the dog rests in the notch 11S, and it is thereby held out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth; but when said trip is swung backward the spring 121 at once throws the dog into position to be engaged by the ratchet-teeth, whereby the gear-wheel is locked to the cam-shaft and rotates the same. The cam-shaft is supported by the block 16 and a standard 122, erected at any convenient point of the base-plate, and a compound cam 123 on the outer end of the shaft bears against the push-bar to actuate the same in opposition to the spring 73. When the vibratory push-bar is at rest, it is held by a trip-latch 107, pivoted atone end to a standard rising from the base-plate and having its free end bent downward, so as to present the lower horizontal portion 125 and an inclined portion 126, rising from said horizontal portion and having a locking-shoulder 127 on its inner edge. The horizontal portion 125 of the latch by resting on the push-bar when the same is thrown outward prevents the latch dropping down on the inner side of the said bar and interfering with the proper operation of the same, while the inclined portion permits the latch to gradually again engage and lock the bar as it returns to its initial position. \Vhen the push-bar has reached the innerlimit of its movement, thelocking-shoulder 127 engages the edge of the bar to hold it while the bobbin is being wound. The latch plays in a guide 128, rising from the baseplate and consisting, essentially, of two parallel vertical plates, and is prevented thereby from swinging laterally. The latch is held down upon the push-bar by a spring 129, having one end secured to the latch and the other end to the base-plate or other fixed part, and it passes through an opening 130 in the upper end of an arm 131, rising from and pivoted to the rear end of a follower or lever 132, which is fulcrumed on the leg 39 and projects forward beyond the same to a point below the bobbin, so as to press upward against the thread wound thereon.

The thread 133 is supplied on the usual spool, which may be arranged at any convenient point. From the spool the thread passes over a guide or support 134. to an ordinary tension regulator 135, arranged above the raceway, and thence passes to the bobbin.

Having made known the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the machine, I will now proceed to describe the operation in detail. In starting the operation a supply of empty bobbins is placed in the drum and the raceway is filled with bobbins. The thread is inserted through the evenerbar and the guide or keeper below the same and carried across the face of the right-hand member of the bobbin-clamp, in which position it is manually held, and the machine is then started. The starting of the machine feeds a bobbin to the space between the mem- IIO bers of the bobbin-holder, which bobbin is then clamped by the holder, the thread being held by and between the end of the bobbin and the face of the bobbin-clamp. For convenience I will begin the study of the operation of the machine at this point. The driving-shaft, it will be understood at once, rotates continuously, and the counter-shaft and the drum-driving shaft also rotate continuously; but the cam-shaft rotates only when the dog or pawl 120 thereon engages the ratchet-teeth on the side of the gear-wheel 116, which is loosely mounted on said shaft and continuously driven from the countershaft. One member of the bobbin-clamp being secured directly on the end of the driving-shaft, it will necessarily rotate with the shaft, and thefrictional pressure exerted on the ends of the bobbin by the members of the holder is suflicient to cause the bobbin to rotate therewith. The thread being held between the end of the bobbin and the clamp, as the bobbin rotates the thread will wind around the same. The evener-bar is reciprocated through the medium of the wormgearing, hereinbefore described, and the thread is thereby laid evenly on the bobbin. The end of the follower or lever 132 bears against the hub of the bobbin and the thread wound thereon, and consequently as the winding proceeds the end of the follower will be pressed downward. This downward movement of the front end of the follower causes an upward movement of the arm 131, rising from the rear end thereof, which in turn lifts the latch to release the vibratory push-bar, and the locking-shoulder on the latch is of such a length that it will not be disengaged from the said push-bar until the bobbin is fully wound. When the bobbin is fully wound, however, the follower will have been pushed down and the arm 131 raised so far that the locking-shoulder is disengaged from the push-bar, whereupon the spring 73 instant-ly expands and drives the cross head toward the standard 6, carrying with it the rod 64 and the push-bar. The push-bar is thrown with great force against the standard 7, and the buffer 8 is provided to reduce the shock to the machine and prevent injury to the cam 123. When the cross-head is thrown outward, it of course carries with it the link 86, and the said link and its connections thereupon separate theblades of the cutter and throw the clamping plate or lever over to the opposite edge of the basket- 95, which catches the wound bobbin. The upper blade of the cutter or shears is carried over with the clamping-plate, and the under blade is swung slightly in the opposite direction, so that the keeper thereon will not act so closely on the swinging bottom of the basket. The spring 96 then throws said bottom upward to catch thewound bobbin. As the rod 64: moves outward the bobbin -clamp on the end of the same will be moved likewise and the bobbin released. The bobbin will fall of its own weight and will first strike the circular'rim and be by it sufiiciently retarded anddeflected to permit the shears to be fully opened before the bobbin drops to the basket. Consequently when the bobbin does drop it will carry the thread between the blades of the cutter or shears and in front of the swinging clamping plate or lever. When the push-bar is thrown outward, as described, it exerts a pull on the connecting-rod 109, which causes the angle-lever 110 to vibrate, and thereby swing the trip 113 downward and the finger 115 rearward, whereupon the dog 120 will engage the ratchet-teeth'll? and lock the camshaft to the gear-wheel 116, so that the said shaft will rotate with said wheel. It will be understood that the movements j ust described up between the blades of the shears and in advance of the clamping-plate, and the camshaft is set in motion. The instant the camshaft is locked to the gear-wheel116 it begins to rotate and the cams 55 and 123 commence to operate. The initial movement of the camshaft carries the cam 55 around so that the roller 54: may clear its corner, and the spring 57 then draws the sliding section of the raceway down to such a point that the lowermost bobbin in the raceway will be in axial alinement with the members of the bobbin-holding clamp. The two cams 55 and 123 are so shaped and arranged in such relative positions on the camshaft that after the raceway has been lowered the cam 123 will act on the push-bar 104 to force the same inward and through it push the rod 64 inward to effect an engagement of the empty bobbin by the bobbin-clamp member 65. While the cam 123 is thus causing the bobbin-clamp to engage the bobbin the roller 54: will ride upon a short concentric surface of the cam 55 and the raceway will remain at rest until the bobbin-holder engages the bobbin. The cam 123 will then present a straight circumferential surface to the push-bar while the roller is riding on an eccentric portion of the cam 55, and thereby carrying the raceway-section upward to its normal position, as will be readily understood. The axial pin 66 will engage the central opening in the bobbin, and thereby support the same and hold it against withdrawal when the raceway is raised. The bobbin being thus held, when the raceway moves upward the spring-finger 60 will yield and ride under the held bobbin and spring up into engagement with the next bobbin, so that the one bobbin held by the clamp will be left therein and the remaining bobbins will be held in the raceway. After the raceway is raised the roller 54 will ride upon the outer extended concentric surface of the cam 55 during the further movement of the' cam, which movement will cease just before its corner again reaches the roller. After the raceway-section hasmoved upward a second inclined surface of the cam 123 will act on the push-bar 10-t and the rod 64 to complete the inward movement of the same, thereby clamping the bobbin firmly between the two members of the bobbin-holder, so that the rotation of the holder will rotate the bobbin and wind the same, as before. The slide 82 is moved longitudinally of the machine simultaneously and equally with the rod 64 and the bobbin-clamp 65, so that the end of the slot in the keeper 84 is brought against the thread and the thread thereby carried over against the face of the clamp, as will be understood on reference to the dotted lines in Fig. 9. Therefore when the empty bobbin is engaged by the clamp the thread will be firmly held between the end or side of the bobbin and the face of the clamp. The cross head 72 follows the inward movement of the rod 64, to which it is secured, and operates the thread-clamp and the thread-cutter. Then the wound bobbin drops from the bobbin holder or clamp, it is caught, as before stated, in a pan 95, placed in the dischargeopening 2. The keeper or eye on the edge of the under blade of the cutter is large enough to allow some lost motion, and the bottom of the pan therefore is at rest until the movement of the said blade is nearly completed. lVhen the cross-head moves inward, it actuates the link 86 and through the connections of said link causes the swinging thread-clamping plate 97 to swing toward the parallel rods or wires 98 101, with which it coacts, and also causes the blades of the shears to close. The swinging clamping-plate will strike the thread rising from the bobbin and carry it to and force it between the rods 98 101,which then hold itfirmly against said plate. Immediately after the thread is so clamped by the plate 97 and the rods above and below the same the blades of the shears come together and cut the thread below the clamp, which will hold the end of the thread until it is engaged by the empty bobbin and the bobbin-clamp, as before described. Therotationof the bobbin and consequent winding draws the thread from the clamp. As the blades of the shears approach each other the under blade acts on the bottom of the bucket or basket, so as to open the same; but the opening will not be sufficient to permit the escape of the bobbin until just as the thread is severed, when the bottom will be fully opened and the wound bobbin discharged into any convenient receptacle. Just as the thread is severed the push-bar reaches the inward limit of its movement and the locking-shoulder on the trip-latch engages and holds the same. The inward movement of the push-bar also carries the connecting-rod 109 inward, and this in turn effects a reverse movement of the angle-lever 110 and permits the spring 119 to raise the trip 113, so that the finger 115 will be thrown forward into the path of the dog 120, and consequently the rotation of the cam-shaft will carry the end of the dog up the inclined portion of the finger, and thereby disengage it from the ratchet-teeth 117 on the gear-wheel 116, whereupon motion of the cam-shaft will cease. The winding then proceeds as before until the bobbin is fully wound, when the follower will again release the trip-latch from the push-bar, the wound bobbin will be discharged, and another empty bobbin delivered to be wound. This operation is repeated continuously. While the push-bar is moving under the lower horizontal portion of the latch there is no movement of the follower. When, however, the push-bar reaches the lower end of the inclined portion of the latch, the spring attached to the latch pulls the same downward, and thereby efiects an upward return movement of the follower. The follower is therefore not finally returned to its initial position until after the thread is engaged by the bobbin, so that there is no liability of the loose thread being caught on the end of the follower and being broken thereby.

The drum or hopper is rotated continuously, so as to constantly deliver empty bobbins to the upper end or mouth of the raceway. When the lower section of the raceway is moved downward, all the bobbins in the raceway move downward with it and crowding of the bobbins is liable to result at the end of the upper section on the return movement. To prevent this crowding, I employ the spring 46, which when the raceway-sections separate throws the pin 17 into the path of the bobbins and causes said pin to engage the second bobbin, permitting one bobbin to pass onto the lower section to fill the vacancy created by one bobbin being delivered to the winding devices. On the return upward movement of the lower section the end of said section strikes the beveled lug on the said spring, and thereby lifts the spring and withdraws the pin, so that the bobbins on the upper section may again move downward. The space between the rails is large enough to permit the bobbins to freely roll on the lower rail; but the edges of the rails are so close as to prevent the ends or flanges of the bobbins passinglaterallybetween them. Thebobbins are thus prevented from dropping from the raceway and being lost. When the cam 123 comes to rest, it brings a straight longitudinal surface into a plane just above the pushbar, so that when the push-bar is released and moves outward it will reach the outer limit of its stroke without striking the cam and will engage the same at the initial end of the operating-surface thereof. The notch 118' in the trip 118 prevents accidental or retrograde movement of the dog 120, and thus insures the holding of the cam 123 in its proper position of rest. The evener-bar is preferably employed by me, and I generally prefer to have bobbins of a uniform size placed in the drum or hopper, the evener-bar being adjusted, as described, to. have a stroke corresponding with the width of the bobbins. It may sometimes, however, be found necessary or desirable to have bobbins of various sizes run through the machine promiscuously, and in such case the evener-bar may be disconnected andthe natural travel of the thread depended upon to attain even winding. While the end of the push-bar is moving between the stops 111 and 112 there is no longitudinal movement of the connecting-rod 109, and consequentl y the cam-shaft is at rest until the bobbin has been released and the shears opened and will then operate and continue to operate until the wound bobbin has been finally discharged and the winding of another bobbin has commenced. In order to accommodate the circular movement of the push-bar, the connecting-rod is pivoted loosely, so that it may have a slight lateral movement on its pivot. The spring 71 permits the clamp to yield to the thickness of the bobbin and serves to force the clamp toward the opposing clamp, and thereby securely hold the bobbin. The diameter of the face of the clamp member is equal to the diameter of a wound bobbin. Now if when the clamp members approach they encounter an empty bobbin they will engage that bobbin, and the continued movement of the push-bar will permit the descent of the latch and the consequent rising of the thread-follower between the disks or'clamp members, so that the latch will engage and hold the push-bar. Should the supply of bobbins be exhausted or clogged in the raceway, however, and the clamp members therefore be caused to approach without encountering an empty bobbin, the spring 71 will cause the member 65 to be carried so close to the opposing member that the upward movement of the follower will be arrested by the said follower striking against the edge of the disks or clamp members ,and it cannot consequently rise to the proper point to cause the latch to engage and hold the push -bar. Therefore the latch will be held up and the cam-shaft will continue to operate, so that the straight longitudinal edge of the cam 123 will be brought to and past the push-bar, which Will then at once fly outward under the influence of the spring 7 3 exactly as when a bobbin has been fully wound. When the clamp members approach closely under these conditions, the recess 63 receives the pin 66.

It will be noticed that the raceway in my machine is not only the guide or way down which the bobbins pass from the hopper, but also constitutes the means for delivering the bobbins to the winding mechanism. The two parts of the raceway form a continuous guide down which the bobbins pass to the winding mechanism without any change of direction. Inasmuch 'as the bobbins do not turn any corners and are not passed from the raceway to an intermediate mechanism, to be thereby delivered to the winding mechanism, there is no liability of their being bent or broken in the operation of the machine.

It will be readily seen from the foregoing description that I have produced a machine which is entirely automatic in its operation, is composed of few parts, and is free of complicated and delicate constructions. The machine may be run at high speed, so that the Wound bobbins may be delivered almost as rapidly as the attendant can replenish the supply of thread and place the empty bobbins in the hopper or drum.

The construction illustrated is the preferred type of the machine; but it will be understood that changes in the minor details will not involve a departure from the principles of the invention.

Having thus describedmy invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isv 1. A machine for winding bobbins comprising means for feeding an empty bobbin to the point of winding, means for rotating the bobbin at that point to wind thread thereon, means for releasing the wound bobbin, means operated by the release of the bobbinfor severing the thread, and means also operated by the release of the bobbin for catching and holding the released bobbin while the thread is severed.

. 2. A machine forwinding bobbins comprising means for feeding an empty bobbin to the point of winding, means for rotating the bobbin at that point to wind thread thereon, means for releasing thewound bobbin from the winding mechanism, means controlled by the releasing mechanism to catch and hold the wound bobbin below the winding mechanism, means for severing the thread also controlled by the releasing mechanism, and means controlled by the releasing mechanism for holding the end of the thread.

3. A machine for winding bobbins comprising means for feeding an empty bobbin to the point of winding, means for rotating the bobbin at that point to wind thread thereon, means for releasing the wound bobbin, and mechanisms controlled by the bobbin-releasing means for severing the thread, for catching and holding the released bobbin while the thread is severed and then discharging the bobbin, and for holding the end of the thread until another bobbin is supplied to the winding mechanism. a

4. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a hopper arranged above the same to contain a supply of bobbins, an extensible raceway running in a single continuous direction between the hopper and the winding mechanism and receiving bobbins from the hopper, and means for extending the raceway to supply a bobbin to the windingmechanism.

5. In a machine for winding bobbiusflahe combination of a rotary drum adapted to contain the empty bobbins, arms on the end of the drum adapted to take up the bobbins, and

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a raceway having its upper end projecting into the drum in the plane of said arms to receive the bobbins therefrom.

6. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a raceway consisting of an upper stationary part adapted to hold empty bobbins, and a lower slidable part adapted to receive bobbins from the upper part and deliver them to the winding mechanism, the parts being in longitudinal alinement so as to form a single continuous guide for the bobbins, and means for operating said slidable part.

7. In a machine for winding bobbins, a raceway consisting of two alined sections each composed of two rails one vertically above the other, a narrow leaf-spring bridging the space between the lower rails of the two sections, and a spring secured on the upper rail of the upper section, carrying a pin depending through said rail, and provided at its end with a lug adapted to engage the upper rail of the lower section.

8. The combination with the winding mechanism, of the inclined supporting-plate above and to one side of the said mechanism, a raceway mounted thereon and adapted to move downward thereon to supply a bobbin to the winding mechanism, a vertically-disposed lever arranged at one side of the supportingplate, a link connecting the upper end of the lever with the movable section of the raceway, a cam bearing against said lever to move said raceway-section upward away from the winding mechanism, and means for rotating said cam.

9. In a machine for winding bobbins, a raceway comprising an upper stationary section, a lower slidable section in alinement therewith, and a spring secured to the upper section and extending over upon the lower section to bridge the space between said sections.

10. In amachine for windingbobbins,araceway comprising an upper stationary section, a lower slidable section in alinement therewith, a spring secured on the upper section, projecting beyond the end thereof and provided with a lug at its end adapted to be struck by the end of the lower section, and a pin depending from said spring into the path of the bobbins in the upper section.

11. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, and a hopper above the same, of a raceway forming a continuous guide between the hopper and the winding mechanism, and means for actuating the raceway to deliver a bobbin to the winding mechanism.

12. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a thread-cutter arranged below the winding mechanism, a thread-clamp arranged just above the cutter, and connections whereby when the winding mechanism releases a wound bobbin the cutter and the clamp will be simultaneously operated.

13. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a cutter arranged below the winding mechanism, a basket below the cutter adapted to catch and hold a wound bobbin while the thread is cut, and intermediate connections whereby when the winding mechanism releases a wound bobbin the cutter and the basket will be operated.

14. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a rotary bobbin-clamp, of a thread-holding clamp arranged below the bobbin-clamp, a guide or keeper above the bobbin clamp and automatic mechanism whereby when a wound bobbin is released from the bobbin-clamp the guide or keeper will be moved to a point vertically over the thread-holding clamp and the thread will be held across the face of the bobbin -clamp member.

15. The combination with the rotary bobbin-clamp and its supports, of laterally-disposed pins above said clamp, a slide having longitudinal slots engaging said pins and provided with a keeper for the thread on its inner side, and means for reciprocating said slide.

16. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a rotary bobbin-clamp and a slidable rod on which one member of the clamp is mounted, of means for reciprocating said rod, a cutter arranged below the bobbinclamp, a cross-head on said rod, and links connecting the cross-head with the cutter.

17. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a rotary bobbin-clamp having one member mounted on the end of a slidable rod, and means for reciprocating said rod, of a pair of shears arranged below the bobbin-clamp, a cross-head on the slidable rod, a link having its ends pivoted respectively to the said cross-head and the front shorter arm of the upper blade of the shears, and a second link having one end pivoted to the rear longer arm of the under blade of the shears and the other end pivoted to the first-mentioned link near the cross-head.

18. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a cutting-blade arranged below the winding mechanism, a thread-clamping plate having a common fulcrum with the said blade, a crosshead, means for reciprocating the cross-head, a link connecting the cross-head with the front end of the cutting-blade, and a second short link connecting the front of the clamping-plate with the first-mentioned link.

19. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a rotary bobbin-clamp and a slidable rod on which one member of the clamp is mounted, of means for reciprocating said rod, a cutter below the bobbin-clamp consisting of two vibratory members, and connections between said members and the slidable rod.

20. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of

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easeo a pair of rods arranged below the winding mechanism, an oscillatory non-cutting plate adapted to clamp the thread between said rods, and means for oscillating said plate.

21. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a basket arranged below the winding mechanism, provided with a hinged bottom, means for holding said bottom normally lowered, and means for raising said bottom to catch a wound bobbin released from the winding mechanism.

22. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a basket arranged below and in the same vertical plane with the winding mechanism to receive the wound bobbin therefrom, and means for automatically discharging the bobbin from the basket.

23. In a machine for winding bobbins, the

combination with the winding mechanism, of a cutter arranged below the winding mecl1- anism, a basket below the cutter having a hinged bottom, connections between the said bottom and the cutter whereby the movement of the bottom is controlled by the cutter, and suitable operating mechanism.

24. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a shears below the winding mechanism, an eye on the edge of the under blade of the shears, a basket below the shears having a hinged bottom, an arm on said bottom engaging the eye on the blade, a spring acting on said bottom to raise the same, and suitable operating mechanism.

25. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the winding mechanism, of a shears below the winding mechanism, a clamping-plate having a common fulcrum with the shears, a spring-rod arranged to one side of the shears and coacting with the clamping-plate, a basket below the shears having a hinged bottom, a connection between said bottom and the shears to lower the bottom, a spring acting on the bottom to raise the same, and suitable operating mechanism.

26. Ina machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the driving-shaft and a bobbin-clamp member rotated thereby, of a slidable rod in alinement with the said bobbinolamp member and having a recess in its end, a pintle mounted in said recess and projecting beyond the end of the rod, a spring in said recess bearing on the pintle, a bobbinclamp member swiveled on the outer end of the said pintle, and means for reciprocating said rod.

27. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a driving-shaft and a bobbin-clamp member rotated thereby, of a slidable rod in alinement with the said bobbinclamp member having a coacting bobbinclamp member on its end, a horizontally-vibratory push-bar bearing against the end of said rod, means for vibrating said push-bar,

and means for locking said push-bar against movement during the winding of a bobbin.

28. In a machine for winding bobbins,- the combination with a driving-shaft and a bobbin-clamp member rotated thereby, of a slidable rod in alinement with said bobbin-clamp member and having a coacting bobbin-clamp member on its end, a horizontally-vibratory push-bar bearing against the end' of the rod, a spring holding the rod against the push-bar and adapted to force the push-bar and the rod outward, a cam acting on the push-bar to force the same inward in opposition to the spring, and means for locking the push-bar against movement during the winding of a bobbin. I

29. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with a driving-shaft and a bobbin-clamp member rotated thereby, of a slidable rod having a coacting bobbin-clamp member mounted on its end, a horizontally-vibratory push-bar bearing against the end of the rod, means for vibrating the push-bar and reciprocating the rod, a latch extending over the push-bar and adapted to engage the same and hold it and the slidable rod against movement while a bobbin is being wound, and a follower connected to the latch and adapted to bear against the thread wound on the bobbin and thereby disengage the latch when the I bobbin is fully wound.

30. In a machine for winding bobbins, the combination with the driving-gearing and a bobbin-clampmember rotated thereby, of a slidable rod carrying the coacting clamp member, a horizontally-vibratory push-bar bearing against the end of the said rod, a spring adapted to throw said rod and push-bar outward, means for holding the push-bar against movement duringthe winding of the bobbin and releasing it when the bobbin is fully wound, a cam adapted to force the push-bar inward, and devices actuated by the outward movement of the push-bar to connect the shaft of said cam with the driving-gearing.

31. In a machine for winding bobbins, the

combination with a driving-shaft and a bob-- bin-clamp member rotated thereby, of a slidable rod in alinement with the said bobbinclamp member having a coacting bobbinclamp member on its end, a horizontally-vibrating push-bar bearing against the end of said rod, means for vibrating the push-bar, a follower adapted to bear upon the thread wound on the bobbin, and connections between the follower and the push-bar whereby the bar is held against movement during the winding of a bobbin and released when the bobbin is fully wound.

32. The combination of the driving-shaft, a cam-shaft, a gear-wheel loosely mounted on the cam-shaft and provided with ratchetteeth on its side, gearing connecting said wheel with the driving-shaft, a spring-actuated dog mounted on the cam-shaft in position to engage the said ratchet-teeth, a trip having a finger normally projecting under said dog to disengage it from the ratchetteeth, and means for actuating the trip to withdraw said finger from the dog to permit the same to engage the ratchet-teeth and thereby lock the cam-shaft to the gear-Wheel.

33. The combination of a driving-shaft, a bobbin-clamp member rotated thereby, a slidable rod carrying the coacting clamp member, a spring acting on said rod to force the same outward, a horizontal push-bar bearing against the end of said rod, a latch adapted to engage the push-bar and hold it and the slidable rod against the action of the spring, a followerconnected with the latch and adapted to bear against the thread wound on the bobbin, a cam-shaft carrying a cam adapted to force the push-bar inward, a gear-wheel loosely mounted on said cam-shaft and rotated by the driving-shaft, a spring-actuated FRANK A. BRACKETT.

Witnesses:

ANNIE K. SWEET, FRED A. TAYLOR. 

